UNDER SCRUTINY The presence of those Chinese language-manned worldwide cargo ships within the waters off Homonhon Island, proven on this photograph taken on Could 16, is being monitored intently by the Philippine Coast Guard, which has arrange a station on the island. —Roel T. Amazona/contributor
TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has established a station on historic Homonhon Island in Guiuan city, Japanese Samar province, to observe the actions of Chinese language cargo vessels docked alongside its waters.
Cmdr. Elgene Gregorio, appearing deputy commander of the PCG in Japanese Visayas, clarified that the presence of those Chinese language vessels within the waters off Homonhon is authorized, since these are worldwide cargo ships which have permits to move minerals produced by the mining companies working on the island.
Nonetheless, he mentioned, the PCG wanted to “be sure that they won’t interact in any unlawful actions.”
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“Our plan of action is to place up a unit on Homonhon to assist us monitor their actions and guarantee compliance with the legislation,” Gregorio added.
The PCG station on Homonhon was established on Could 20, mentioned Gregorio.
At the least 4 mining corporations owned or affiliated with Chinese language companies function on the island to extract chromite or nickel.
These corporations are Emir Mineral Sources, Techiron Sources Inc., International Min-Met Sources and Verum Terra Geoscience Inc.
The minerals being collected from these mining companies are immediately transported to China, their main market.
Monitoring job
Gregorio mentioned the choice to determine a unit on the island, the place Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan landed in 1521, was primarily a part of their mandate to observe international vessels getting into Philippine waters.
“We’re doing our greatest to safeguard our territorial waters and be sure that no international vessel will enter our space to conduct any unlawful actions,” he mentioned in an interview.
In response to Gregorio, the presence of the Chinese language vessels, largely manned by Chinese language nationals, has raised considerations amongst villagers.
He mentioned he couldn’t give but the precise variety of Chinese language vessels docked within the waters of Homonhon at any given time.
Final April, Bishop Crispin Varquez of the Diocese of Borongan, the provincial capital, raised considerations over the “escalated mining operations” on Homonhon Island.
He appealed to authorities to fastidiously research the mining tasks on the island to make sure that these won’t have devastating results on the surroundings and the native residents.
“We name on our authorities leaders and anxious businesses to take motion on this matter and to contemplate primarily the preservation, security and welfare of the affected areas and its residents,” he added.
The 20-kilometer-long island, which is outstanding for its huge deposits of nickel and chromite, has been grappling with open-pit mining because the Nineties.
The Diocese of Borongan has been spearheading campaigns to protect and defend the island’s remaining biodiversity, asking authorities to cease the mining operations on Homonhon Island.
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The requests, nonetheless, remained unheeded.
